The HVB Women's Entrepreneurship Mentoring Program is entering its fourth year this year. As part of the HVB Women's Advisory Council initiative, experienced female entrepreneurs and members of the HVB Women's Advisory Council will accompany female founders on their journey to self-employment for six months. This year's mentors include Nina Hugendubel and Annette Roeckl, two of whom represent true Munich entrepreneurial tradition.
The HVB Female Founder Mentoring program delivers what its name promises: In this support program, All female founders can apply until 11 March 2016The selected mentees receive numerous practical tips and can directly benefit from the experience and networks of their mentors. This year's mentors include Nina Hugendubel and Annette Roeckl.
Nina Hugendubel: Clear strategy from the start
The managing partner of Germany’s largest owner-managed bookstore chain, Nina Hugendubel, knows the importance of continually rethinking existing strategies and, if necessary, changing direction. Transitioning the Munich-based family business into the digital age presents the entrepreneur with real challenges:
"It's about recognizing the direction of change and helping to shape it with the right strategy. This also requires taking bold and unusual steps."
Nina Hugendubel advises all female founders to have a realistic strategy from the outset, which she considers "the be-all and end-all of starting a business." As an experienced entrepreneur, she can help her mentees with the relevant expertise to re-examine their strategy.
Annette Roeckl: Similarities between female successors and founders
Besides Nina Hugendubel, there is another name in the circle of 
Mentors who represent Munich's entrepreneurial tradition: Annette Roeckl, who will be accompanying the initiative as a mentor for the first time this year. The Munich-based entrepreneur is the sixth generation to lead the family business Roeckl Handschuhe und Accessoires GmbH & Co. Under her leadership, the company transformed into a clear focus on fashion accessories with a focus on product range expansion, internationalization, and innovation.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Roeckl sees herself as a suitable mentor for female founders, as she believes there are many commonalities between both types of entrepreneurs. Both are faced not only with establishing management structures and implementing their own leadership styles, but also with balancing family and career in a way that neither career nor family life requires significant sacrifices.
Despite these challenges, mentor Roeckl is optimistic about the chances for women to set up a successful business:
“With appropriately innovative and value-added products or services, female founders definitely have the chance to successfully establish and expand their companies in today's economic environment.”
Take your chance and apply now!
In addition to Nina Hugendubel and Annette Roeckl, the mentors of the HVB Female Founders Mentoring 2016 include four other impressive female entrepreneurs who can contribute to your success with their expertise and network.
So take advantage of this opportunity and apply now until March 11, 2016, for the HVB Female Founders Mentoring 2016. You can find all the information here.
